Tuesday, May 15, 2012

VCU moves to Atlantic 10 and is moving fast

((ht: times-dispatch.com))
It's not "Galactic" in terms of realignment, but its very interesting if you are a basketball fan.

Virginia Commonwealth University announced today (Tue) they are leaving the Colonial Athletic Association and heading to the Atlantic 10 Conference.

Oh...they are leaving in July.

Of this year.

It will cost $250,000 to bail out and $750,000 to join their new band of friends. Small change for most.

VCU as many of you know is a small, but highly recognized basketball program that was in the NCAA Final Four as recently as 2011. Coincidentally, the team they played back then, Butler, is moving to the A-10 with them.

Check out FOSG Greg Burton of ESPN 950's interview with Colonial Prez Tom Yeager and VCU's Mark Ellis, you can find the interview RIGHT HERE

While not doing much for football, the Atlantic 10 is primarily a basketball conference. And its loaded with the so-called "Mid-Majors". Between VCU, Butler, current member Xavier and others, there is some seriously good basketball teams in the conference.

Conversly, the Colonial is dying a slow death. VCU's departure, combined with Georgia State leaving for the Sun Belt, leaves them with a slew of very small basketball schools. They are primarily a FCS Football conference, which is not as significant.

Sure, we know it isn't exciting...unless you are a basketball fan, but it is sort of interesting as conferences both big and small continue adding and subtracting with nobody knowing for sure just what the landscape is going to look like in the next couple of years.

Friend of the OSG Lane Casadante of WTVR in Richmond provides us video of the presser with VCU President Michael Rao: